Cotton-chopper.



No. 872,797 PATENTED DEO. s, 1907. J. O. BELL. OOTTON OHOPPER.

APPLIOATION FILED JOLY22,19O7.

z SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. '872,787 PATENTBD DEG. 3, 1907. Y

J. o. BELL'. COTTON GHOPPER.

. APPLICATION FILED JULYZZ, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"u 'UMIU 'of the United States, residing ville, in the county of Bartowand State of UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

JOHN c. BELL, or cAETEasvrLLE, GEORGIA, Assrcnon or ONE-HALF T'oNICHOLAS M.

ADAMS, OF CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA.

rco'r'roN-cno1min.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that l, JOHN C. BELL, a citizenat Carters- Georgia, have invented new and useful lmprovements inCotton-Choppers, of which the ollowing 1s a specification. f Thisinvention relates to cotton choppers,

' and the object thereof is to provide a maf chin'e of such class in amanner as hereinafter set forth, with means for adjus' ing Ithe knivesin a longitudinal direction with respect to thev machine so as toprevent the knives meeting with an obstruction and further -to enablethe chopping of the lants at :varying distances apart when occasion sorequires. l

Further objects of theinvention are to provide the machine with means ashereinafter set forth lfor adjusting the knives to regula/te the cut, toset the knives at' the desired angle, and further to' provide meanswhereby ythe knives can be elevated to clear the ground. A furtherobject ofthe invention is to pro- -videa machine of such classina manneras hereinafter set forth with a frlctional gearing for driving the knifeshaft and to so connect the driven disk with the shaft of the drivingdisk as to always position the driven diskI at the saine point from theedge of the drivin-g disk so that 'the operation of theknife shaft.

' in its use-readily set up, and l `4() r`view, the invention consistsin the novel'fconstfuction, oomblnationand will be uniform or be, drivenat they same rateof speed, whether the knife shaft be elevated orlowered;

Further objects ofthe invention are to provide' a cotton chopperwhich'shal-l be' simplein its construction, strong, durable, efficientcomparatively inelpensive to manufacture.

l 1th the foregoing and other objects inarrangement of rparts'hereinafter more specifically described 'and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of theinvention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations andmodifica-V tions can be resorted to which come within the sco e of theclaims here'iinto'appended.'

n' describing the'invention in detail, reference is had to the-accompanying drawings, wherein like'reference characters denotecorresponding parts throughout they several views and in whichSpeccation' of Letters' Patent. Application filed July 22.1907. SerialNo. 384.936.

drive shaft 7 which is and rotated thereby. Collars 9 are provided '75 I'i theV machine which projects .1'3 a cross member14 is mounted u v1-2.Forward yof the L85 wheels 4, 8- and secured to the tongue 12 av lis aYhanger 16 .in which is jfournaledfa s air of foot treads 18.connected 90cir forward e'nd'by tlieyke .f formed lwith anopenin extendsa sup ortingro .24'hav1ng ajournal. 100

Patented Dec. 3, 1967.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view ofv a cotton chopper inaccordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an end view. Fig. Sis atopplan. Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are details of the connecting and adjustingknives. Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of thefrictional gearing. Fig. 9 is adetail of a portion of one of the vertically adjustable supporting' rodsfor' the knife shaft, and Fig. 10 1s adetail showing the end of one ofthe retaining frames. o

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, 1 denotes an archedaxle, the end 2 thereof being below the plane ofthe end 3.

The end 2 hasrnounted thereon a wheel 4. 70

The end 3 carries a han er 5 and a `hanger 6 is suspended from the odyportion o the axle 1. Journaled in the hangers 5, 6is a fixed to .theWheel 8 to limit the lateral movement of the shaft 7. The brace member10 connects the hangers .52, 6. Brace members 11 connect thefends 2', 3ofthearched axle with the tonguey 12 of rearwardly of andI is mountedupon thetop ofthe axle 1i. At the rear of the tongue'121 a seat 13 isprovided. Forwardl-y ofthe seat n and secured to the tongue cross member15 is provided. Dependingv fro'rrr,tl1e tongue 1-2-forwardly oftheseazlvlf3 a t 17 carrying a together at t piece 19 having apair of forwardlyprojectmflugs 20. I

epending from each of the cross members l 14y and 1.5V is a' retaini ngframe, 'eaclr.0'said 95 'frames consistmg of V-shaped1 l.n iembers 421fixedat their upper spective memberand having itsl lower end 23 lthrough ,which box 25'.. Eac ofthe rods 24 at its lower end is bent in4an angular manner as at- 26 .and then downwardly as at 27 and to saidend 27 is attached a' gage wheel 28. The rods 25 at 'their upper yendsextend through the cross A105 15 and have enlarged upper- 'members 14',ends as at 26. Attached to the end 26 and f to the cross member is aoompressionsprlng 27, there beirgl a compression spring. for the upperend each of the rods.

means Yfor the 60 forwardly and so ends as at 22 `to `its; re-

.These wheels in engagement extending knife shaft 29 Iis clearly shownin Fig. 1. 45 tlirough vthe sections 35, 36 are the hold-fast springs 27form a cushioning support for the rods 24 and also tend to retain 4thegage with the ground. The

rods 24 are vertically shiftable through the 5 members 14 and 15, whilethat rod 24 which extends through the cross member 14 vis ca- 'pable ofhaving a slight lateral movement at its lower end. Provision for suchmovement is made by havlng the opening 23 through l0 which therod'extends somewhat enlarged.

y vnected with said shaft 29 that itv will rotate therewith. The disk 30is formed with Ia I flanged coll'ar 31 engaged by the forward end of thelever arm 32, the rear end -of said lever arm 32 being pivotallyconnected to the' lugs 20, By such construction, it is evident that ifthe forward portions of the foot treads 18 are lowered, the disk 30vwill be--moved forward on the shaft 29 and a reverse movement of thedisk is had if the forward portions of the foot treads resume theirnormal or elevated position. By such an arrange- 30 ment the disk vwhich carries the knives can be shifted-"4iso thatl the knives vwill bemoved out `of the path of an obstruction or the knives can be positionedso that the distance between the plants'chopped can be 35 varied. Thenotches of the disk 30 are indicated by the reference character 33. Tothe disk 30 is .attached a lurality of adjustable knife carrying armsWfiich as shown in Fig. 6 are formed of three sections 34', 35 and 36.

The section 36 is provided with an angular end 37 which is secured as at38 to the section 35. By such construction the arm when in positionstraddles the disk 30 which Extending devices 39, 40. The latter extendsthrough the disk 30, openings 40 lbeing provided for such purpose. Thehold fast device 40 f thereby connects the arm to the disk. The

hold-fast device 39 is adapted to engage in the notches 33 so as toretain the angular adjustment of the arm with respect to the disk. Byproviding a plurality of notches 33, 1t 1s evident that theimite-carrying arm can be `adjusted to extend at varying angles withrespect to the disk 30. 'lhe section 35 is adjustably connected to thesection 34 by the hold-fast device 41 and by such an arrangement the.length of the arln eanbe in- 6.0 creased or decreased when occasion sorcquires. 'lhe section 34 is provided with a seat 42 to which is securedthe knife 43. The section 34 istwisted as at 44,'and also extends in anyangular manner as al 45 (see Fig.

= 2) ali-'i bysuch structure the knives 43 when inner end of the shaft7.

connected to the arms have their edges extending in a longitudinaldirection so that the knives will operate transversely with respect tothe machine. In Fig. 5 the arms are not shown adjustable and in thisconnection it will be stated that the section 36 is attached to thesection"34,'the latter being somewhat elongated, otherwise than that asstated the knife carrying arm in Fig. 5 is the same as that shown inFig. 6.

The shaft 29 is rotated through the medium of a frictional gearing and1n this oonnection it will be said that upon the Shaft 29 is mounted asleeve 46 carrying a driven disk 47 which frictionallyv engages withlone side of av driving disk 48 mounted upon the jects from one side ofthe driving disk 48 as at 49 and hasloosely mounted on said projectingend a radius bar 50 which is pivotall connected to a pin 51 carried .bya collar 52 mounted u on thesleeve 46. The latter is longitudina lyslidable upon the shaft 29 but rotates therewith. The radius bar 50 hasthat end which is mounted upon the projecting end 49 of the shaft, ofless width than the length of said rejecting end. By suchv anarrangement t e said end of the radius bar 50 which is mountedprojecting end 49.'.'can have a slight longitudinal play thereon whenthe shaft 29 1s shifted to'movethe disk 47 from vengagement with thedisk 48 in a manner as hereinafter referred to. The function of theradius bar 50 is to retain the disk 47 in engagement with the disk 48 inthesame posltion at all times in case vthe shaft 29 is .verticallyadjusted, and by such arrangement the same rate of speed of the shaft 29is' always had. The bar 50' is removably connected to the shaft 49 andenable the setting up of radius ,bars of varying lengths. If the bar isshorter than that shown, the disk 47 will engager the disk-48 nearer theaxis of the latter, consequently the speed of the disk 47 will be lessthan what upon the pin 51 so as to The shaft 7 proit isjintthe positionshown in Fig.A 8. If the disk 47%1s moved closer to the edge of theYdisk 48, ari elongated radius arm 50 being purpose, the'speed of thelAprovided for such disk 47 will be greater than what hit is in thepositionyshown in Fig. 8. By suchl an arrangement, itis evident that theshaft 29 canbe rotated at varying rates of speeds.

The disk 47 is moved out of engagement with the disk 48` through the meshifting lever 53 which is pivoted as a't 54 to a lug 55 projecting overone of the arms of that frame 21 secured to. the cross member 14. Thelower end of the lever 53 is provided with a fork 56 which straddlesthat rod 24 arranged at the rear'of the machine.

New if the lever 53 be shifted u on its pivot in one direction, the bar24 wi l be carried therewith, consequently Imoving the disk 47 ium of astave? y from engagement With the disk 48 and .the

slidingof he collar 52 longitudiiially upon the shaft .29.- Theilever 53when shifted is retained in such position through theme-` dium `of a dog57 engaging in the' rack 58 'carried b the` member 14. The disk 47 can be-broug t into oper'istive position with respect to the d'isk 48 byreleasing the lever 53 5 I Y and shifting the'latter in an oppositedirection. The disk is'retained in such osition ou'ing to the engagementof the paw or dog 57 With the rack 58.

The Shia 29. -is veaicaiiy adjusted by -nieans of a link 59 engaging thelower end lof the shaft 2-9 and pivotallyconnected as at 60 to theforwardend of -a hand-operated lever 61. The leverl-.bispivoted as at,62 to a hangar/63 depending froid the tongue i2.y To the hanger 63 isatt-ached a rack 64 with which engages a dog `carried bythe lever 61.

' so as to maintain thele'ver v61 vin the position set.

`pull of the s rings 27.

The lever 6i `projects rearwardly and is provided with a handle 65arranged in such position that it can be readily graspedV bythe driverofthe machine.' v

The lever 61 and 1ts connections with the shaft 29 provide means wherebyhe shaft29 can be vertically adjusted so as to elevate theknives to aninoperativev vosition and further provides means to a low! of the knivespassing over obstructions. vWhen the" shaft 2911sverticallyadjusted, thebars are carried therewith, but the upward movement of the bars 24 had'against the The ,Whse s 2S not. only :act as gages but also act4as'supports and are so positioned as 'to travelv at. one side of theplants. This arrangement is had owing to the providing kof the lower endof the rod 24 in an angular manner so that the wheels will not be posi#'.tioned in alinenient with the shaft 29. w

From the foregoing construction andv arranger/nent of-parts, it isevident that when machine travels, the shaft' v7' Will herotatedWcarrying the disk 48 therewith and it figli-'die vassumed thatthe disk 47 is in engagement 'with the disk 48,-." As' the disk`- 48revolves, like motion will he impartedvto the disk 47 y which in turnwill .rotate the shaft 29, the latter carrying-the dishv 3() itherewith, and ,revolve the" knives'so-'that they will performtheir-function, e. chop-. ping the cotton.v it will be assumed thatv'the shaft29 hashe-en lowered so that the t them to chop theknives villbeso ositioned *as* to enable laut-,during the rotation ofthe shaft.Iivvv ile the machine is traveling it'is desiredA to project' the knivesforwardly upon the shaft 2Q so that during.' the rotationof the knivesthey vwill not engage with,I an obstruction, the forward ortions of thetreads l17 are glowered, W ich shifts the leverrZ forv ardly and thelatter in turn Awill carry the disk- 4() therewith,-

With If it be desire thereby positioning the knives forivard ofVv theshaft 29.' If it be desired to elevate fhe knives, all that is necessaryto do is for the operator to lower. the handle end ofthe lever 61,such'action'elevating the linlt 59 which in turn Will carr the shaft V29there- I to' diseontinue the operation'of the shaft 29; the .lever 53 isshiftthat rod` 24 which is arran ed at the rear of the machine away fromt 1e disk 48 Which in turn'will move the disk 47 out of o erativeengagement' with the disk v48 and. t ereby discontinue the operation oftheshaft 29 and the knives 43. i

1. A cotton chopper comprising4 a rotatable knife shaft, a plurality oflengthwise and angularly adjustable knife carrying arms 'mounted uponthe shaft and rotated therehy,

a knife secured to the arms, means-for adjusting said armslongitudinally of the shaft at the rotation of the knives, a drivingdisk, an operating shaft therefor, a driven disk mounted upon saidrotatable knife shaft and adapted toengage with the driving disk, and aradius bar connected with said operating shaft and Withsaid ,drivendiskfor maintainingrthe driven disk permanently at a predeterminedposition with respect to the axis of the driving shaft. v

2. A cotton cho per comprising arotatable knife shaft, apurality oflengthwise and aiigularly vadjustable knife -carrying -arms iftedtowards the Wheel S and'by such' action the loWerend ofthe lever 53 Willloo mounted upon the shaft and4 rotated thereby,

a knife secured'to the arms, means for adjusting said'armslongitudinally of the shaft during the rotation of the knives, a'driving disk, an operating shaft therefor, a driven disk mounted uponsaid rotatable knife shaft and adapted. to engage with the driving disk,

a radius bar connected with said operating shaft and'vvith` said drivendiskfor maintain iig the, drivendisk permanently at a predef terminedposition with respect to the axis of the driving shaft, and'rneansengaging with the rear end of said knife 'shaft for shifting y vthedriven disk out of engagement with the driving disk. andcausing therebythe shifting of the' driving disk upon the knife shaft."

taining the driven. disk at the same distance-- from the axis of .thedriving disk when the shaft is elevated.

4, A cotton chopper comprising a rotata ble knife shaft, a plurality oflength-wise andv aiigularly adjustable knife carrying arms shaftforoperating it, a driing disk engaging -with said. driven disk forrotating it, means for moving said driven disk out of operative mountedupon the shaft and rotated thereby, engagement with said drivingdisk,and

knives secured to the arms, means for adjusting said arms longitudinallyof the shaft during the rotation of the knives, a longitudinallyslidable and rotatable disk mounted l upon and engaging with the saidshaft for op.- l ble knife shaft, a-plurality o erating it, a driving.disk engaging with said driven disk for' rotating it means for elevat.-ing said shaft, and means connected with the driven disk and with saidshaft for retaining the driven disk at the same distance from the axisof the driving disk when the shaft is elevated. A

5. A cotton chopper comprising a rotatable knife shaft, a plurality ofknives carried and rotated by said shaft, means Yfor longitudinallyadjusting said knives upon said shaft during the operation of theknives, and alink and lever mechanism connected with said shaft forvertically adjusting it.

6. A cotton chopper comprising a rotatable knife shaft, a plurality oflengthwise and ai'igularly adjustable knife carrying arms mounted uponthe shaft and rotated thereby, knives secured to the arms, means foradjusting said arms longitudinally of the shaft' during the rotation ofthe knives, and a link and lever mechanism connected with said shaft forvertically adjusting it.

7. A cotton chopper comprising a rotatable knife shaft, a'plui'ality ofknives carried androtated by said shaft, means for longitudinallyadjusting said knives upon said shaft during the operation of theknives, a longitudinally slidable and rotatable disk mounted upon andcngagiiig with the said lshaft forl operating it, a drivingdiskvengaging with said driven disk for rotating it, and means engagingwith said shaft for vmoving said driven disk out of operative engagementwith said driving disk.

5. A cotton cho iper comprising a rotatable knife shaft I 'a pluralityof lengthwise and aiigularly adjustable knife carrying arms mounted.upon the shaft and rotated thereby,

knives secured to the ariiis,"incans for ad-l, justiiig said armslongitudinally. of the shaft during the rotation of the knives,Y alongitudinally slida ble and rotatable disk `mrirnted upon and engagingwith the said slia-ftifor operating it, a. driving disk engaging withsaid driven disk for rotating it, and means engaging with one end ofsaid shaft for moving said driven disk out of operative engageiiientwithsaid driving disk,

9. A cotton chopper comprising ,fa-rotatable knife shaft, a plurality ofknives carried and rotated by said sliaftfiiicaris for loiigi uadjusting said l';i'iives'"u|'ion said shaft during the p'eralion ol'the knives, a longitudinally slidable :ind rotatable disk mounted uponand engaging with the said tudinallv mounted j knives secured lto thearms, meanssfor adf justing said arms longitudinally, of the shaftduring the rotation of the knives, a longitudinally slidable androtatabledisk mounted upon and engaging with the. said4 shaft foroperating` it, a driving disk engaging with said driven disk forrotatingit; means for moving said driven disk out of operative engagement withsaid driving disk, and means or vertically adjusting said ."shaftwhereby lsaid driving disk is Ashifted longitudinally of said shaft. j

11. A cotton chopper comprising a rotatable knife shaft, a rotatablenotchedl disk v90 longitudinally shiftable upon said shaft,- a pluralityof lengthwise adjustable knife-car- 1 rying arms pivotally connectedwith the disk, means carried by the*y arms and engaging in the notchesofthe disk for disposing said arms in an angular positionjwith res ectto the .axis'of the disk, and means for shi ting said disk upon saidshaft. 12. A cotton chopper comprising a rotatagitudinally shiftableupon said shaft, a plurality of lengthwise adjustable knife-carryingarms pivotally connected With the disk, and means carried by the armsand engaging in the notches of the disk for disposing said arms. in anangular positionwith re'spect to '.the axis of the disk. i

13. A cotton chopper comprising a rota-table knife shaft, a pluralityof'knives carried i ,and rotatedby said shaft, means'for longi -110tudinally adjusting said knives ulpon said l shaft durin the operationofthe mives, a

i longitudina 1y; lslidable and -rotatable disk mounted up'on and engaing 'with the said shaft for operating it, a riving disk engagving .withsaid'di'iven'ffisk .for rotating it, an operatingshaf/tfor the'drivingdisk, a radius b aifconnested-with said operating shaft and vithsgildriven disk, and a pair of vertically movab andeushisned supporting rodsfor said sha t. "i

14. A cotton chopper com rising a rotata- 4ble knife shaft,- a plurality.o lengthwise and ble knife shaft, a rotatable notched disk"lon. 10"()upon an operating shaftfor the driving disk, 1'30 connectedto theangular end of ivotally connected at for rotating it, and a pair ofvertically Inov-` able and cushioned supporting rods for said 'shaft'.

15. A cotton' cho per comprising arotata urality of Aknives carriedshaft, means for longituand a pair of vertically inovablwcushionedsupporting rods for said shaft, each of said rods havin f an angularlower end and an engaging whee each' of the rods. i 16. A'cotton choppercom risin a-rotata= ble knife shaft, a plurality vo lengt wise andangularlyY .adjustable Y mounted upon the shaft and rotated t ereby,

ajo

- Vvi7. Acoaon Cho knives seeuredfto the arms, means for adjustknife'Acarryin r arms,

ing said arms longitudinally of .the shaft ,durv and a pair sup ortingrods avin 'raging whee each of the ing the rotationof the knives, 'ofvertically movable cushioned rods for said shaft, each of said lower endand an en rods.

ble knife'shaft, a p uraltyvof knives' carried and rotated by saidshaft, means for ,longitudinally adjusting during the operation of theknives, a longiturods.

per'comprising a rotatasaid knives upon said shaft l dinally adjustableand slidable diskmounted a upon and engaging with the-said shaft foroperating it, a driving disk engaging with said driven disk for rotatingit, ineans'for elevating said shaft causiljg thereby the shifting of anda pair of vertically movable and-cushsaid rods having -an angular lowerend and an lengaging wheel connected tothe angular end 1 of each of therods.

v18. Acotton chopper com ble knifeshafta plurality o vangularladjustable mounte( upon the shaft and rotated t ereby, knives securedtothe arms, neans for adjusting said arms longitudinally of the shaftduring thel rotation 'of the knivesha longitudinally slidable androtatable/disk mounted upon and engaging with-the-said shaft foroperating it,` a driving disk engaging with said drivendisk for rotatingi tically movable 'rods for said shaft, each of said rods avingVari-.angular lower end and an engaging -wheel connected to theangularvend ofeaehLof the rising a rotatatIn testimony whereof my handin presence of two subscribing witnesses. JOHN BELL;

Witnesses: i I

lengthwise and knife' earryini arms I have hereunto set y4 0 the drivendisk' in'a; longitudinal directionl ioned supporting rodsfor said shaft, each of l it, and a pair of verand-euslncmed sup orting sov

